Lenarduzzi relishing return to the Maroons fold

Chelsea Lenarduzzi never once doubted her ability to return to the State of Origin arena.

As passionate a Queenslander as they come, the Burleigh Bears and Brisbane Broncos prop last represented the Harvey Norman Queensland Maroons in 2022, after missing selection in 2023 and for the first two matches of this year’s inaugural three-game series.

But, following a strong BMD Premiership season that saw her be crowned Burleigh’s best-and-fairest, the growing leader is back among the Maroons squad for Thursday’s all-important decider.

Whether or not she takes to the field at Queensland Country Bank Stadium on June 27, Lenarduzzi is ready to help her friends and teammates get the series victory.

“It’s really exciting to be back, mainly seeing the girls,” Lenarduzzi said.

“I got (the call) the day before we had our pre-season Broncos camp so there was a lot going on, actually. But I was really happy.

“It’s been a really challenging period being out of the team. Being recalled into the squad to help the team prepare for the third game, that’s pretty cool.

“It’s obviously a massive occasion, the first ever decider. I’m in a unique position where I’ve played with the team, I’ve won and lost Origin series’ and then I’ve watched the girls play as well.

“I’m in this weird spot where I feel like with that experience, I can really contribute, whether I run on or I’m in the grandstands.

“Everyone (who has played for Queensland) would do anything to help win the game. Whatever role the team needs from me, I’ll do just that.”

Lenarduzzi has been working towards this recall ever since last year.

She always viewed missing selection as a challenge – a challenge to overcome her natural disappointment, a challenge to channel her attention into other areas of the game, and a challenge to separate what not playing for the Maroons meant to her as an athlete and as a person.

“It’s been very weird,” Lenarduzzi said of the past 15 months.

“As a football player, it’s been a really disappointing thing to not be involved in the team.

“But that’s also what you sign up for as an athlete… it’s not always going to be smooth sailing. It’s been a cool challenge individually.

“Everyone talks about resilience and wanting to be resilient but when you’re actually faced with something like this, it’s a good test of where you’re at.

“It was pretty smooth in the sense I just went back to (Broncos) training and ripped in and eventually the rewards started coming back and this is that.

“I also had to separate that this really disappointing thing as a football player, if you look at the broader scheme of life, people deal with a lot worse than this.

“There’s people that live in warzones and don’t have food. So, if the worst thing that happens to me this year is that I don’t make a footy team, then I’m probably actually going okay.

“That’s been a cool perspective. But I also never want that to diminish how much it means to be part of the Queensland team either.

“As a footy player and as a person I have to separate the two. As a footy player, it’s everything to be part of the Maroons.”

One aspect that Lenarduzzi did not have to battle with however was self-doubt.

The 28-year-old played 10 games for the Broncos in their 2023 NRLW season and then came into this year’s BMD Premiership season with the Burleigh Bears with a focus on developing as a leader.

She said while being out of the Queensland squad was a challenge, she just kept working on herself.

“As an individual athlete, the moment you start doubting your abilities is when it’s time to pack it up,” she said.

“I’ve had conversations with (coach Tahnee Norris) about it all and I’ve always felt like I can still contribute to the Origin arena and the team.

“Sometimes the team is selected for a million reasons. It could be combinations or that someone has come out of the woodwork and blown the staff away and they really want to pick them.

“It’s not always a personal thing. They’re trying to win.”

Now Lenarduzzi is going to do everything in her power to play her part in helping the team get the win come Thursday.

She said a number of the players are her closest friends – particularly skipper Ali Brigginshaw, who she talks to everyday.

And it is these people that have always made the Queensland jersey so special for Lenarduzzi. It’s what makes her the passionate player she is – her teammates, the former players and the future generations.